Pouring attachment for containers



DESCHNLTR 2934355 'PQURING ATTACHMENT FQR CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 4, 1941co'nt'ainers neck.

Patented Feb. 10, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" 2,272,549 POURINGATTACHMENT FOR CONTAINERS Richard E. Deschner, Los Angeles, Calif,

Application August 4; 1941, Serial No 405,278 (01. 2 5-13).

11 Claims.

This invention relates to pouring attachments adapted for use withcontainers from which liquids are dispensed.

A leading object of the invention is to provide for throat portions ofliquid dispensing containera, a pouring attachment seatable within suchthroat portion in a protruding relation thereto,

said attachment being compressible to a retracted position by theapplication of a closure to the container, said pouring attachment whenthe. closure is removed automatically assuming a protruding positionwherein it displays a pouring lip orflange of larger diameter than thepouring portion of the throat oi the' container; When in said protrudingposition the portion of the attach ment whichremains'within the throatof the container expands thereagalnst and prevents the device fromfalling from the container during a I pouring operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved containerstructure consisting in part of a pouring lip structure whichautomatically extends itself into an operative' position when the coveris removed from the container,

said pouring lip structure being automatically returned to its retractedposition upon application of the cover to the container.

Additional objects are; to provide aneflicient pouring spoutwhich isadapted to be used with bottles and closures made like they arein'present practice; to save the user the trouble of exv tracting thespout at the time of unsealin'gthe bottle and therefore toinsure use ofthe spout at every pouring operation; and to provide-a spout whichautomatically expands into a close Iltwith the bottle neck when thebottle is unsealed thereby preventing leakage between itself andthe Astillfurther and highly important object is to provide an automaticspout-extending means which may be included as an inherent feature in atwo-part container and spout combination, thereby allowing suchcombination to perform its automatic spout-extending" Iunction with anabsolute minimum of parts.

Aside from the foregoing specified objects and with still furtherobjects iii view, the invention resides in the novel arrangement andcombination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that-changes in the preciseembodiments of the invention herein disclosed may be made within duescope of that which is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinven-- tion.

5 spect iveof the container; closur 20 attachment; is shown not quitefullyTex g e e s to the dra'win ...Wliereln are/shown 'preferred andalternate; vention as actually used 'inp 1 Fig. 1 is a fragmentary cros'sectional per- 7 a lid l urins attachment; showingfthel latter git!appears when the closure cap islappliedand th attachment is itsinoperative," diametrically contracted position. v

10 Fig.2 is a fragmentary crosssection ofthe container with the. closureremovedl and'with the pouring attachment. 'extended the operativepouring. positionpthefpouring attachment being shown in side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryfperspttlv viewjoi a modified 'ionn of'theattachment; howfi in its extended, operative "position-j Fig. 4 is aperspective view, partly in section showing another modification;ew1,,the

aea. One embodiment of the invention 'is shown in Figs, 1 and 2. In Fig.l, the numeral 1 indicates the'top portion of a bottle or othercontainer structure and the numeral 8 indicatesuthe pour- 'in'gspout'attachmentsealed in itsretracted position bythe closure cap Theattachment accordi'ng to the species shown in l, may be formed fromasingle piece of resilient sheet'material, preferably by a die, and' jisstamped or 3Q pressed into a tubularly iiared split shape consisting ofa vertically disposed wall i0 and an outwardly tapered wall ,the upperedge of the tapered wall ter'minatingiinjan outwardly directed andsubstantially horizontal circumferential flange i2.v The edges 13 andI4, wherethe attachment is split, over-lap asido the adjacent v edges l5and I Got the, horizontal flange l2. The pouring attachment is capable,ofbeing diametrically contracted, this action resulting in so its beinggiven a resilience whereby to automatically expand itself when released.In'the contracted position of the attachment shown in Fig.1, thehorizontal flange i2 overlies,

. to a slight degreejthe top edge I] of the con- "tainer; the taperedbodyportion ii contacts in a substantially circumferential manner withengaging shoulder I8..'of the containers mouth, and

the bodyvwall It occupies a position inwardly spaced from the throatwall IQ of the containers 5Q neck; The gasket 20 underlies the capfi andseals the attachment in this position, provided that the closure 9 isfirmly applied to the container 7. p

In Fig. 1 it will be noted the degree of overlap is of the edges l3, I,I5, and I6, is much greater than that shown in Fig. 2. In Fig. 2 theclosure it has been removed and consequently the resilioi the spout, incausing an increase in its own diameter, has automatically lifted saidspout up to its pouring position where its pouring edge Well spacedabove the mouth of the container. this lifting was due to the action ofthe tapered wall ii against the engaging shoulder i8 and is facilitatedby a low coefficient of friction between those parts. There is enoughresiliency still left in the spout attachment when automaticallyextended to the position shown in Fig. 2, to cause a frictional fitbetween the cylindrical portion of the wall ill and the container's neckI so that when the container is canted the spout will not fall out.

The lip or flange 12 serves the double purpose of promoting driplesspouring and of giving the spout a flat bearing surface against theclosure gasket 2|, rather than a sharp edge, so that the spout will notcut into or mar the gasket as the closure l is being screwed down ontothe container and the attachment is undergoing a change in diametricalcontraction. As a further precaution against defacing the gasket, theradial ed e of the overlapping flange fl is chamfered asindicatedbythenumeralll.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 3 the pouring spout attachment 2! isconstructed with an open side rather than with an overlapping Joint. Theparts shown possess the same generic, spoutlifting characteristics asthe combination of parts I and I in Fig. 1. Spout fl is well adapted tobe made from plastics since plastics must be molded too thick to permitof a proper lap joint. Instead of the tapered wall 28 hearing on theshoulder around the mouth of the container 21, one or more bulging ribsII are provided across the tapered wall 28 to take the wear. It has beenfound thatin the presence of some food substances these ribs are helpfulin preventing sticking of the spout. Also, if there is any liquid leftoutside the spout after a pouring operation, its return into thecontainer is facilitated by the space between the ribs while the closureis bein applied. It is to be understood the use of ribs is not to berestricted to the type of spout shown in Fig. 3, nor is the use of ribsparticularly neccanal! to the successful operation of the type spoutshown in Fig. 3.

Spout 3' is equipped with a flange I! which is similar in constructionto the flange I! of spout 8 except that it extends for less than 360 ina circumferential direction and has its uppermost surface formed with asomewhat rounded contour. This type flange has been found to opcrate asan emcient bearing surface for the closure to press against as itdepresses the spout, notwithstanding the discontinuous nature of saidflange.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 4, the spout 3i and container 3!are shown provided with the some generic spout-lifting features as theprevious specie described. In this form, however, the tapered portion 34is provided in the wall of container 35 and the engaging shoulder 88 isprovided on the spout 3!. In forming the spout-lifting means, saidtapered wall 34 acts against shoulder 38 with a sliding fit in a similarmanner to which the tapered walls I l and llof spouts I and 25 act uponthe engaging shoulder I8 provided on container 1 shown in F18. 1 orsimilar shoulder in Fig. 3. The-container neck 35 is shown with asubstantially cylindrical portion 32 at its outer end thus providing theaaraoco spout-retaining means which, after the spout has reached itsfully extended position, causw a frictional fithetween said spout andthe containers neck so that when the container is canted the spout willnot fall out. iihe spout M is shown to have a pouring lip 56 such as isshown in the case of the other forms illustrated.

In the operation of the several forms shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, thespout is originally inserted in a slightly stressed condition within thecontainer neck to the approximate extent shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4.This is the spouts pouring position, and it is characterized by thespace that separates the spout's pouring edge from the containers mouth,the space being great enough to prevent liquid which has left thepouring lip during a pouring operation, from touching the containersneck. When screw threads 31 are provided on the container neck as shown,the closure 8, which is common to all specie, may be applied and screweddown thereby bringing the closure and spout to the positions shown inFig. 1, or to a like position in case the forms shown in Figs. 3 and 4are used.

As the closure is forced down, the lower face of its gasket 2| bearsagainst the pouring edge I! of the spout member, depressing said spoutand causing a sliding action between the tapered wall II and engagingshoulder II. This results in a diametrical contraction of the spout. thecylindrical portion of said spout withdrawing from the surroundingthroat wall of the container as shown in Fig. 1. The diametricalcontraction of the spout causes an additional stress to be set up in thespout due to the body deformation, en abling it to spring back out toits extended pouring position of its own accord when the closure isremoved. The extension movement will cease as soon as the spout hasmoved outwardly to its pouring position because at this point it isprevented from farther diametrical expansion by th contact between thecylindrical portions of the spout and the container neck.

The tapered surface and engaging shoulder shown as a generic feature inall forms of the invention illustrated, must be correctly proportionedwith regard to the elastic range of the spout, the best pouring positionof the spout, and the coemcient of friction of the spout against thecontainer neck. In general, if the degree of taper or length of taper istoo great, then the elastic range of the spout will not be sufficient toprovide a final frictional fit with the container to retain the spouttherein after the spout has reached its pouring position. If the inclineof the taper is too slight. the spout when released will not rise of itsown accord because the pressure between the taper and engaging shoulderwill produce too small a. lifting force to overcome the friction of thesliding surfaces To avoid misunderstanding of the significance of someof the words used in the claims, definitlons are provided as follows:

(a) The words "break" or split" or slit" are used to denote thediscontinuous feature of' the circumferential wall of the spout whichgives the spout the quality of being contractible and expansible.

I (b) The words pouring position are intended to indicate the way thespout is disposed in relation to the container mouth when the pouringedge or mouth of the spout is extended outward from said containersmouth sufficiently far to prevent liquid which leaves the said pouringedge during a pouring operation from touching the ascents part or thecontainer immediately surrounding said mo th.

is) words position are intended to indicate the way the spout isdisposed relation container mouth when pouring edge or mouth of thespout is in a substantially flush relation with the part of thecontainer surrounding said mouth.

(d) The words truncated cone, frustoconical, taper, and tapering, areused interchangeably.

What I claim is:

i. As an article of manufacture, a spout consisting of an annulus ofresilient material having a substantially lengthwise break in thecontinuity of its wall, said spout having one end portion substantiallycylindrical and its opposite end frusto-conical, said frusto-conicalportion being adapted to contact with the throat portion of a bottle assaid spout is moved axially into said throat portion under the urge of aclosure applied to the mouth of said bottle, said frustoconical enddiametrically and circumferentially.

contracting whereby upon removal of said closure, to automatically ejectsaid spout to its pouring position wherein said cylindrical portionfrlctionally engages the wall of the throat portion thereof.

2. As anarticle of manufacture, a self-locating spout adapted toco-operate with a container provided with means for engaging said spout,

said means being integral and stationary in relation to said container,said spout having in relation to said container a pouring position and adepressed position and being resilient and inherently shaped whereby toprogressively decrease its diameter as it is forced into said containerfrom its pouring position' to its depressed position, thereby acquiringthe energy to spring forth and locate itself automatically in itspouring position when released.

3. In combination with a container neck member, and a resilient,contractible spout member having a pouring edge and adaptable to beingpositioned within the said container neck, a spout-extruding meansconsisting of a tapering surface provided integral with one of themembers and a shoulder portion provided integral with the other member,said tapering surface and shoulder portion being adapted to contact eachother to automatically extrude the said spout from a position whereinthe pouring edge of said spout is in a substantially flush relation withthe container neck, to a pouring position wherein the pouring edge ofsaid spout is in a spaced relation to the container neck.

4. In combination with a container neck member, a closure therefor and aresilient, contractible, and expansible spout member having an extendedposition in which there exists a pouring clearance between a mouthprovided, on said spout member and the said container neck membersufllcient in amount to prevent poured liquid leaving the mouth of saidspout from contactlng the said container neck, automatic means formoving said spout member into said extended position when the saidclosure is removed, said automatic means consisting of a taperingportion provided integral with one of said members and a shoulderportion provided integral with the other, said tapering portion being ofgreater slant length than the distance forming the aforementionedpouring clearance.

5. In combination with a container neck, and a resilient, contractiblespout having a pouring edge and adaptable to being positioned within thesaid container neck, a spout-extruding means consist ng of taperingprovided iute gral with container neck and a shoulder portion providedintegral with the spout, said tapering surface anu shoulder portionbeing adapted to contact each other to automatically extrude the saidspout from a position wherein the pouring edge of said spout is in asubstantially flush relation with the container neck, to a pouringposition wherein the pouring edge of said spout is in a spaced relationto the container neck.

6. As an article of manufacture, a. selfextending spout for use in themouth of a container, said spout having in relation to said containermouth a fully depressed position and a pouring position, said spoutconsisting of a diametrically contractible band of elastic materialhaving the general form of a truncated cone with a substan tiallylengthwise break in its surface, said truncated cone portion beingadapted to engage a shoulder provided on said container mouth, both inthe spouts fully inserted position and its pour-- ing position, saidcone portion having formed thereon in an inclined relation thereto, aportion adapted to contact the container only when the spout is in itsextended position.

7. As an article of manufacture, a pouring spout for containersconsisting of an annular band of resilient material having afrusto-conical flare throughout one end portion of the spout which itforms and being substantially cylindrical throughout the remainingportion of said spout. said band having its end portions in a looserelation to form means whereby said band is circumferentiallycontractible, the material of the band being so stressed when saidflared portion is diametrically contracted by being forced into acontainer by a cap applied thereto, to tend to extrude itselfautomatically from the container.

8. As an article of manufacture, a spout having a mouth and being madeof resilient material of tubular form and split in the general directionof its length, said spout having one end portion substantiallyfrusto-conical and its opposite end inclined in relation thereto, saidfrusto-conical portion being circumferentially. contactable with ashoulder portion of a bottle in which said spout is adapted to beinserted and moved from a slightly stressed position wherein the mouthof said spout is in a spaced relation to the mouth of the bottle, to ahighly stressed position wherein the mouth of said spout occupies asubstantially flush relation with the mouth of said bottle, saidfrusto-conical portion moving inwardly and obliquely to the axis of thebottle across said shoulder under the urge of a closure being applied tosaid bottle, such inward movement of the spout diametrically andcircumferentially contracting said spout.

9. The combination with a container and a closure therefor; of a spoutmountable in the mouth of said container, said spout having a mouth andbeing automatically extrudable from a position wherein the mouth of thespout is in a substantially flush relation with the mouth of thecontainer, to a position wherein the mouth of said innerhoe or saidclosure rim-in: application thereof to the container.

11. The subject matter of claim 9 and, ssid irusto-conieai portion ofthe spout having a pluraiity of external bulges which extend in thegeneral direction of the length of the spout.

RICHARD E. DESCHNER.

